Chapter 0103

Luo Yao had been observing Lin Ran's condition and only relaxed when she saw no issues.

She feared Lin Ran might dislike her cold-blooded violence, worried he might flee from her.

"Ah Ran, I need to confirm something."

"Yao Yao, I know what you're thinking. Don't worry—no matter what you're like, I'll always love you."

Wu Zhishang: "Damn! Can you two stop shoving your lovey-dovey act in our faces? Have some consideration for us single folks!"

Back at the estate villa, Lin Ran gently set Luo Yao down.

"Ah Ran, are you tired?"

Lin Ran was already lightly drenched in sweat. From the company to the estate, Luo Yao had clung to him the entire time without letting go—it really was exhausting.

"Tired, but happy."

Luo Yao's eyes curved into a beautiful arc as she lightly pecked Lin Ran’s cheek. Lin Ran touched his slightly damp face and smiled adoringly.

He then shouted, "Uncle Fu!"

"Young Master Lin, you called?"

"Prepare the bath."

...

At the hospital, Lin Tianba and his family of three lay neatly in their beds.

Liu Ruxue, however, had disappeared at some point.

Lin Jian’s injuries were the most severe, followed by Liu Yuemei’s, and finally Lin Tianba’s.

Lin Jian’s tongue had been mangled by Luo Yao, and his tears hadn’t stopped flowing. The doctor who examined him was both shocked and confused.

"What kind of parents let their child swallow razor blades? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

Lin Jian: "Luh tawk lik dis, I cahn tawk proply!"

Doctor: "???"

Liu Yuemei was worse off than Lin Jian. After a round of examinations, she was diagnosed with three broken ribs, though thankfully not life-threatening.

Despite Luo Yao only kicking her once, that single strike was enough to incapacitate any woman.

While waiting for surgery, she overheard the doctor’s words in the ward and nearly lost her mind.

"Doctor, will my son ever speak again?"

The doctor nodded. "He can still speak, just not as clearly as before."

Liu Yuemei felt as if struck by lightning. Lin Tianba quickly tried to comfort her.

In terms of injuries, Lin Tianba had gotten off the lightest.

He had only been whipped repeatedly by Lin Ran—superficial wounds that hurt like hell but weren’t fatal.

In terms of suffering, Lin Tianba took first place, enduring prolonged torture from the lashes.

But in terms of actual damage, Liu Yuemei and her son had sustained worse injuries in that single instant.

They hadn’t gone to the police, knowing it wouldn’t solve anything—only make things worse.

Lin Tianba: "It’s fine, Yuemei. Even if Jian can’t speak properly, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s the young master of the Lin family. Remember, we’re among the elite few at the top. As long as we have money, nothing else matters."

"Most people in this world are born to be exploited by the likes of us. As long as Suran Group stands, Jian will always remain untouchable."

Liu Yuemei stared at Lin Tianba in disbelief. She was starting to see him in a new light.

"I never thought you could be so weak. Our son’s been brutalized, and you’re just going to take it?"

"What else can we do?"

"You won’t even call the cops, let alone seek revenge?"

Lin Tianba sighed in frustration. He couldn’t be bothered to argue with her—she was becoming more and more intolerable.

This woman might be "kind," "beautiful," and "understanding," but when it came to real crises, she was utterly clueless.

Sure, for someone like Lin Tianba, ruining an ordinary person’s life was child’s play—even without provocation. But was Luo Yao ordinary?

You want revenge on her? We’re lucky she didn’t finish us off right then and there.

Thankfully, Lin Ran had stopped her, or they might not have walked out of there alive.

"Do you think I don’t want to? I can’t. Don’t you know who Luo Yao is? Haven’t I told you?"

"I don’t care who she is. I want her dead."

Furious, Lin Tianba slapped her—something he had never done in all their years together. But her reckless thinking had pushed him too far.

"You dare hit me?"

Lin Tianba stared at his own hand, stunned. He hadn’t even realized he’d actually done it.

"I… Yuemei, I’m sorry. I lost my temper."

Liu Yuemei burst into tears, wiping her face dramatically.

"You promised you’d cherish me forever, and now you hit me? Waaah!"

Lin Tianba, irritated, stepped out into the hospital hallway.

He felt utterly helpless. Lin Jian had provoked Luo Yao, and getting hurt was the inevitable consequence.

As a father, his heart ached, but there was nothing he could do. The powerlessness made him feel ten years older.

At the time, he had wanted to stand up and slap Luo Yao, to shout, "Don’t you dare lay a hand on my son!" But he lacked the courage—and the ability.

After all, the bodyguards had him pinned.

Even if he hadn’t been restrained, doing so would have led to disaster—not just for him, but for the entire group.

Suran Group couldn’t afford any more turbulence.

At least Lin Ran had given him a way out. Thinking of this, Lin Tianba suddenly recalled the son he had always despised.

Lin Ran had humiliated him, made him feel worthless—yet in the end, he had also offered a sliver of mercy.

Maybe… he shouldn’t have been so harsh on that boy?

But he had only wanted to raise a filial son through strict discipline. Wasn’t that love?

Why couldn’t Lin Ran understand a father’s good intentions?

How had things come to this? Had he really been wrong?

Where had he gone wrong?

"Hey! Boss Lin, you’re quite the expert at hiding!"

Lin Tianba shuddered and turned around slowly.

"Master Dao… What brings you here?"

Brother Dao stood there with a few intimidating men.

"You weren’t answering your phone. Went to your office—you weren’t there. Went to your house—only to find you’d sold it? Had to pull some strings to track you down."

"Boss Lin, you’ve got some nerve. You mortgaged your house to me, then sold it for cash? You think I’m just for show?"

Lin Tianba swallowed hard.

"Master Dao, let me explain. I had some financial trouble recently, so I sold the house. But don’t worry—I’ll pay you back."

"You think I’m stupid? Suran Group’s in crisis—you think I don’t know? And the money you owe me is due. Pay up."

Lin Tianba had been racking his brain for days but still hadn’t found a solution.

"Three days. Give me three more days, and I’ll have the money."

Brother Dao patted Lin Tianba’s cheek.

"Fine. Three more days. But if I don’t get my money with interest… You wouldn’t want your wife teaching foreign languages at a nightclub, would you?"

Lin Tianba nodded frantically. "Understood! Understood!"

Once Brother Dao left, Lin Tianba collapsed onto the floor.

After a while, he composed himself and returned to the ward.

"Lin Tianba! You hit me and then run away? What kind of man are you?"